


365 Day Short Story Challenge 2017

by Sir_Dolan



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Fluff, Gen, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Minor Violence, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pokemon - Freeform, Pokemon Battle, Pokemon Journey, Redemption, Self-Doubt, Swearing, tagging as I go along
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-02
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-09-14 02:58:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9157024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sir_Dolan/pseuds/Sir_Dolan
Summary: It's exactly what it says on the tin. I'm gonna attempt this hell of a journey, and I'd like to take anyone who's willing along with me. Prompts and idea suggestions are encouraged.Story Requirements:- Must have a minimal of 500 words- Must be about the holiday on that certain day (i.e. Christmas, Halloween, New Years, etc...). Otherwise, the prompt of that day can be anything.





	1. Day 1: N's First New Year

**Author's Note:**

> **Hey there! It's time for the first day (or night) of a long year to come. I'm kind of excited.**
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> **This challenge is purely for my own amusement, and I'm gonna try my best to complete it - or at least keep it going for as long as possible. Comments and structured criticism are highly encouraged and welcomed!**
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> **Enjoy the first installment of my 365 Day Challenge 2017!**

It had been eight months since N left the land of Unova in search of himself. Along with Reshiram and Zoroark as his only companions, he abandoned his duties as ‘king’ and left his past behind, flying across the large stretch of ocean on the dragon’s back. At some point he and Reshiram landed on a southern island of a region known as Hoenn, meeting and befriending pokémon he had never seen before. The former king had forced himself to visit the only town on the island and rest in the Pokémon Centre there, allowing Zoroark to sleep with him inside while Reshiram had free reign and flight of the island. _As long as you don’t draw attention to yourself,_ N had warned.

N hadn’t been able to sleep at all that night. Not just because of Reshiram possibly being noticed, or of the risk of being hunted down and detained for his crimes back in Unova. No, it was the first time he was _truly_ on his own, out in the world with no one there to guide him, and it terrified him. He was scared of interacting with people since his world view had been shattered by his father, and he began to panic as he realised he had no idea how befriend or learn from other human beings. He only knew how to interact with pokémon.

He remembered the words his father had spat at him and he couldn’t help but agree with them. His father was right; he was just a human with without a heart. A freak who only knew how to speak to pokémon.

_You know that isn’t true, right N?_ The memory of a voice had come so suddenly that N thought it was Zoroark speaking to him for a moment. He recognised the voice and thought back to the trainer who had changed his life; the hero who had opened his eyes to the real world; the young soul who had fought against him again and again, yet treated him as a friend. He closed his eyes and visualised the expression they had worn when he had leapt up on Reshiram’s back. They would want him to at least _try_. This time he was in control of his life, no one else. He was free to make his own decisions, and he knew exactly what he was going to do.

Drowsily, N’s mind had wandered to the time he and his friend had ridden on the Ferris wheel together. He fell asleep with memory of them staring out in gleeful awe.

\-----

N had spent four or so months in Hoenn. He had travelled from Dewford Town to the main land of the region almost immediately, feeling somewhat eager to start learning. He met many people and many pokémon along his journey, learning about their attitudes towards each other, and the hopes and dreams they carried together. He learned about their culture and the events they celebrated.

As much as N hated to admit it, he was rather sheltered. His father raised himself and his sisters in the castle, never letting them out to explore or experience the outside world. Holidays such as ‘Easter’, ‘Halloween’ and ‘Christmas’ never existed. Even the smaller holidays in between were a completely loss on N.

It was thanks to two trainers known as Ruby and Sapphire that he even learned about any of it. N had met and befriended them just in time for Easter, and spent the holiday with them. He remembered it fondly as they ate lots of food and chocolate shaped as eggs, and surprisingly felt comfortable enough to introduce them to Reshiram. It had been so long since he had laughed genuinely.

He spent the rest of his time in Hoenn travelling with them. They had already journeyed around the region, so were used to the humid, tropical climate. N and Zoroark, however, struggled to deal with it at first. They weren’t used to how hot it would become, or how quickly the weather would change to a tropical storm that’d surprise even Reshiram. He recalled how amazed he was when he saw Mt. Chimney for the first time, the very first volcano he had ever witnessed. The ash it spewed and the heat it produced fascinated him and sang to Reshiram. The dragon pokémon had refused to leave the area for a week.

N had loved staying in Fortree City. It was as if the city had crafted itself amongst nature, and he almost felt at home there. He was quite reluctant to leave it when it was time to move on, earning him a ‘told-you-so’ comment from Reshiram. Travelling from Lilycove City to Mossdeep City, Sootopolis City and Paciflidlog Town were the parts of the journey Reshiram had disliked the most. The dragon would complain about having to constantly fly around to avoid the water, and at one point even asked N if it could rest in its poké ball, a request that N hesitantly complied with. Ultimately, his journey in Hoenn had to end, and it ended with a large party in the market of Slateport City.

It was a small holiday that only took place in Hoenn. Something to do with Pokémon Contests and the Grand Festival. N hadn’t been too interested in them, but the celebrations for the Grand Festival had been a nice touch to the end of his adventure in the region. He had bid goodbye to Ruby and Sapphire, and thanked them for their kindness before moving on. It hadn’t been easy to look away from the beautiful region as he and Reshiram took to the sky.

\-----

The next region N found himself in was a land known as Kanto. The people there were just as friendly as the people in Hoenn and the pokémon were just a different and diverse. However, he travelled alone with his companions.

His thoughts often wandered back to Ruby and Sapphire as he journeyed. He would think about the time they had spent together, the times he had genuinely felt happy when he travelled with them and how much they had taught him. They had helped him forget the crimes he committed back home, and the past he was so desperate to leave behind. But the longer he travelled alone in the new foreign region, the more his guilt for his actions and heartache over his childhood grew. He had been so naïve and foolish as he had listened to his father’s words as a child, and that led to the distress and upset that he caused for so many people, especially the old Champion Alder. He could blame no one but himself for that.

Reshiram and Zoroark did their best to comfort and support N in the months that followed. They would try to encourage him to participate in some of the events that would take place around the region, but as the seasons became colder, so did N’s heart. He began to smile less and barely laughed; only ever saving the warmest of expressions for his two companions who refused to leave his side. Even as Christmas came and passed, N felt no joy. He was closing himself up all over again.

The former king was staying in Viridian City when New Year’s finally arrived. The community from Pallet Town travelled over to the city to celebrate and welcome the New Year with dancing and cheering and drinking on the streets, encouraging everyone to join. When N was invited, he couldn’t find it in himself to decline. So there he was, sitting by himself on one of the benches that had been set up for the occasion. Reshiram had decided to stay away from the city for the night as the large amount of people made it antsy, while Zoroark was currently exploring the city with the promise of returning in time for the New Year cheers. N silently hoped that he would return soon. They had ten minutes to go.

“You look a little haunted, friend.” N flinched at the sudden female voice to his immediate right and snapped his head around in surprise. Sitting next to him was a girl with fair brown hair and bright eyes. How had she managed to approach him without him noticing?

She smiled apologetically at his reaction. “Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It’s…fine,” he replied guardedly before scolding himself inwardly. He was supposed to be interacting and connecting with people! He was supposed to be trying to prove that he _did_ have a heart.

“I’m Leaf, it’s nice to meet you,” the brunette greeted, holding out a hand.

N’s pale eyes flickered to it for a moment before he accepted. “My name is N, it’s a pleasure to meet you as well.”

Leaf grinned as she pulled and looked back to the crowd dancing. “Excited for the New Year?”

“Not so much,” N sighed, leaning back.

“I thought as much, you kinda have the expression of someone who’s dealing with a lot of internal turmoil.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

“How could you tell?” he asked almost moodily.

“I’d like to think I’m a good judge of character,” Leaf said with a smile. “So that would mean I’d also know that you’re a good person who’s trying their best.”

N let out a humourless laugh. “You…honestly think that _I’m_ a good person? My apologies for any rudeness, but you must be delusional.”

“You think so?” she asked innocently. “A friend of mine said the same thing, but he’s usually wrong.”

“Well, I am not. Not this time, at least. I have…done some terrible things that I am not proud of. I’ve hurt a lot of people, including a friend I should have cherished. I have tried to move on from the crimes I committed, but it’s hard. Not when I know I’m simply a freak with only the ability to communicate with pokémon. I don’t…know how to communicate with people. I’ve never been good at that, and I’ve only ever put my view and logic before anyone else’s, and that too has hurt people. So yes, I do think that you are delusional. I am _not_ a good person.”

There was a pregnant pause. N dared to look up at the brunette, having kept his eyes glued to his hands. When had he been able to stop looking people in the eye?

She appeared to be digesting the information he gave her. She stared off with a distant look at the dancing crowd that was getting rowdier as the New Year approached, and N felt his heart begin to pound a little harder with anxiety. He had obviously said too much, and now she was debating getting the authorities involved, or possibly even-

“Who conditioned you to think like that?” she asked suddenly.

N gave her an incredulous look. “E-excuse you?”

He wasn’t expecting her to turn and look him straight in the eye. “It honestly sounds like someone’s _made_ you think that way. I get the guilt…about the whole ‘crimes’ and hurting people stuff, but you’re not a freak, N. You’ve been communicating with me pretty well.”

He didn’t know how to respond to that. He couldn’t even _think_ of a response because all he could see in that moment was the other hero looking at him with the same determination and fire they had done before. For a brief moment, he had a strong instinct to simply go seek them out, to apologise for his actions and attempt to heal the wounds he had caused. But then he remembered he was in Kanto and they were Unova.

Whatever emotion his face held must have been enough for Leaf who broke into a bright smile. “I’m sure when you see your friend again, they’ll understand. Especially if you look at them with the same expression you just gave me.” N flushed a little at that.

_N!_ Said young man blinked and turned to see Zoroark standing a few feet away, unsure if he should stand defensive or not.

“Relax Zoroark, this is Leaf. She’s a friend.”

Leaf leaned to the side slightly to get a better look before gasping dramatically. There were literal stars in her eyes. “Holy shit?! Like, what pokémon is that?! He looks _so cool_! Oh shit, lemme get my Pokédex out real quick…! You don’t mind, right?”

N considered her request for a moment before giving the dark type an inquisitive look. The fox narrowed his eyes before grumbling and approaching Leaf cautiously. The brunette didn’t seem to mind the wary reaction to her presence as she squealed and pulled her Pokédex out to record Zoroark’s information. N gave her a hopeless smile at her childish delight.

He felt somewhat lighter than before. The guilt and pain in his chest was still there, but some of it felt like it had been lifted permanently. It was a start. There was still a long way to go, and still so much for him to learn, but he felt ready to let go some of those emotions. He was beginning to forgive himself.

“Oh! It looks like they’re beginning the countdowns!” Leaf exclaimed in delight.

N watched with intrigue as everyone began to get more and more excited. He had never felt this much energy from people all at once.

_Ten!_

_Nine!_

_Eight!_ N thought back to Unova. They’d be doing the same thing back home, wouldn’t they?

_Seven!_

_Six!_ They too…would also be counting down.

_Five!_

_Four!_

_Three!_ Were they thinking about him as well?

_Two!_

_ONE!_

N wondered if the pause he felt was as long as he felt it to be. He couldn’t help but feel his heart pound in his chest with excitement and elation as everyone shouted in unison.

_HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!_

Almost immediately the fireworks started. He, Zoroark and Leaf watched them in awe as they lit up the night sky with all kinds of bright colours and patterns. Despite the noise of the fireworks deafening out everything around them, N swore he heard Reshiram cry out from the forest, but it was soon drowned out by another explosion of the flowers in the sky. He couldn’t believe he had been kept from something so magical.

“Did you make a wish for the New Year?” Leaf had asked him after the firework display was over.

N had thought about the question seriously for a good moment. “I hope to learn more in this next year. I hope to grow and become a better person, and maybe one day return home.” He looked unsurely at Zoroark before looking back at the brunette. “Is…that a realistic wish?”

Leaf couldn’t help but giggle and smile. “Yes, I think so. I hope your wish comes true, N.”

_Happy New Year._


	2. Day 2: Mysterious Cookies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bromance and cookies initiated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Hey! I was meant to upload this yesterday, but I was a little busy. So I'm uploading it today along with today's short fanfic that'll be uploaded later on this evening.**
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> **This prompt was made by a man (or woman) called Brian A. Klems. Thank you, Brian!**
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> **Apologies for the delay. I hope you enjoy the second installment!**

Silver wasn’t exactly sure what to make of it the first time he found a small bag of cookies waiting for him on his doorstep. The red head hadn’t even seen the sweet treats a first, almost treading on them as he made his way to his front door, only pausing when Feraligatr gave him a quick growl. He picked them up to inspect them. There were five in total, contained in a small plastic bag that was tied up with a thin red ribbon. It was obvious that they were homemade, being smaller than average cookies sold in shops. Some were lopsided where the batter had risen higher on one side, and others were burnt slightly around the edges. Something told Silver these were probably the best cookies out of the batch.

Feraligatr gave them a curious sniff before looking at Silver.

“What are you looking at?” he asked sounding slightly irritated. The large alligator glanced at the cookies again and proceeded to give Silver a look akin to puppy-dog eyes. “You want one?” An enthusiastic nod was his answer, causing the red head to sigh. “It’s your funeral if these things have been poisoned. They don’t exactly look delicious.”

Feraligatr snapped his jaws impatiently. Silver rolled his eyes and pulled on the ribbon, opening the bag and carefully picking out a cookie before dropping it in the water type’s awaiting mouth. He watched as his partner happily munched away on the baked good, waiting for the obvious outcome that would be the alligator spitting it out. To his surprise, Feraligatr ate the cookie without an issue and nudged the bag for more.

“They’re…actually good?” Silver asked in disbelief. Feraligatr didn’t even grace him with a reply as he nudged the bag more urgently for another cookie. “Alright, alright, I’ll give you one more.”

He dropped another biscuit into water type’s mouth before picking one out for himself. He stared at it with an intense scrutiny before hesitantly taking a bite, waiting for some kind of bad taste to hit him. He was pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn’t that bad. Sure, it was probably a little too sweet and a tad overdone, but he had experienced worse tastes in his life.

Feraligatr looked at Silver expectantly, almost as if he was waiting for something. The red head narrowed his eyes. “Fine, it wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. Happy?” The alligator gave a pleased gruff in response.

Silver didn’t know for sure who had placed the bag of cookies outside his front door, but as he entered his home, he thought he had a pretty good idea of who it was.

\-----

“What the hell.”

For a second day in a row he found a bag of cookies sitting on Silver’s doorstep. He had been unsure of how to react to the unexpected gift the previous day, but to receive _another_ batch for a second day in a row made him uneasy. Who the hell was planting cookies by his front door and what were they planning on getting out of this?

If someone was playing some kind of prank on him, then he immediately assumed it was Kris’ doing. He couldn’t imagine Lyra pulling a prank considering how sweet she was – unless Kris had roped her into it – and he couldn’t see this to be Gold’s work as the idiot didn’t even know how to bake. He was determined to find out who was messing with him. He picked up the bag of cookies with the resolve that he’d find Kris and get answers for whatever the hell this was.

The next morning Silver visited the café Kris helped run before attending work. The teal-haired girl looked up from a table she was cleaning and smiled brightly at Silver as he approached her. The café was surprisingly empty.

“Good morning, Silvy! It’s not often that I see you in my café.”

“ _Don’t_ call me that,” he said with clear disdain. “Anyway, I just wanted to ask if you were the one leaving bags of cookies on my doorstep.”

Kris looked at him as though he had grown a second head. “…are you high?”

“What? No! Just answer the question!” Silver demanded, looking obviously flustered.

“You’re being serious?” Kris asked incredulously. “No, I’m not the person leaving bags of cookies on your doorstep.” She couldn’t help but start to giggle, much to Silver’s chagrin. “Someone’s really leaving presents for you?”

“Don’t laugh, it’s not funny,” he complained.

“I’m not laughing,” she lied.

“Do you think Lyra could have anything to do with it?”

For a moment Kris looked genuinely shocked at the accusation, but Silver knew she was a skilled actor. “Are you accusing Lyra – sweet, innocent _Lyra_ of messing you about? Tsk, tsk, Silver, you should know by now that Lyra is an angel and that she--”

“Okay, I get it!” he said exasperatedly before sighing. “The only other person it could be is Gold, but the fool wouldn’t be able to bake even if his life depended on it.”

“He isn’t _that_ bad at cooking.”

“I said ‘bake’, not ‘cook’. Did you ever attempt to eat that cake he made once? Because I did, and I had to force myself not to vomit it back up.”

“Ew, way more info than I needed,” Kris replied, pulling a face of disgust.

“Whatever, this was evidently a complete waste of my time and I need to get to work.” Silver turned to leave the café.

“Wait, don’t you wanna grab a coffee or something?” Kris suggested.

“No, I’m good.”

“Alrighty, I hope you find your secret admirer soon!”

He ignored that comment as he left.

\-----

Yep. Just as he has expected, there was another bag of cookies waiting for him as he returned home. He picked them up again, taking one for himself and giving the rest to Feraligatr.

He needed to talk to Gold.

\-----

“Is it you?”

“Whoa, holy crap, Silver!” Gold exclaimed, almost running into the red head. “I told you not to creep up on me like that, man.”

Silver had found Gold loitering around the shopping mall. It was obvious he was window shopping as he was one to usually spend his pay check pretty quickly. The former Champion had been walking idly as he gazed at a pair of sparkling new headphones on display in the window before almost walking right into his old rival.

“Never mind that, are you the one trying to mess with me?” Silver demanded. Gold gave him a puzzled expression.

“What the heck are you on about?”

Silver took in a sharp, deep breath. “Someone has been leaving cookies on my doorstep for three days now, and I need to find out who it is.”

Gold gave him a blank stare before dissolving into laughter. “Someone’s been leaving _you_ cookies? Oh man, you finally got yourself a secret admirer!”

“Stop laughing! It’s not funny, dammit! You and Kris are the worst with your stupid reactions!” It was almost comical how Silver’s face matched his hair.

“But it’s hilarious how serious you’re acting about something so innocent,” Gold continued.

The red head narrowed his eyes as his old rival. “Not everything is as innocent as it appears. You know that much.”

Gold blinked at the sudden change in Silver’s voice. It was a tone he hadn’t heard in a few years, and a tone he hoped he would never have to hear ago. He sighed and scratched his head.

“C’mon man, not everything is out to get ya. The past is in the past. You gotta learn to live a little.”

“I don’t need a lecture from you,” Silver snapped coldly.

“I’m not giving you a lecture,” Gold argued, looking a little annoyed, “I’m giving you some _advice_ as a friend. I thought we were past all this distrust and hostility?”

The disappointment in Gold’s voice stung him a little, and his cold demeanour melted somewhat. “We are.”

“Then trust me when I say this whole cookie situation is harmless. I mean, have you eaten any of the cookies?”

“…yes.”

“And…?”

“…they haven’t killed or poisoned me.” _Yet,_ he wanted to add.

“Well, there you go,” Gold said a matter-of-factly before grinning. “If it’s really bothering you that much, just leave a note on your door asking whoever it is to stop.”

“That actually sounds like a logical idea,” Silver said, looking a little shocked. “I’m surprised to hear one coming from you.”

“Oh ha-ha, very funny, jackass,” Gold replied sardonically.

After a moment Silver couldn’t stop the smirk that was pulling at his lips. The ebony head grinned in response and it was long before they both began to laugh. Their bromantic moment was cut short when Gold’s phone began to ring out, and the former Champion widened as though he had just remembered something important.

“Aw crap, what time is it?” He pulled out his phone and groaned. “Oh shit, I’m late!”

“Late? Do you have work today?” Silver asked.

“No, but I promised Lyra I’d hang out with her today. We’ll both hang out when we have some free time, yeah?”

The red head gave him a rare smile. “You sure are hopeless. Yeah, we’ll hang out soon.”

“Awesome! Welp, see you later, Silvy!” And with that Gold ran off down the street Silver had used to find him.

It took a moment for Silver to realise something. “Hey! I’ve told you before to stop calling me that, asshole!”

\-----

For a fourth day in a row Silver found a bag of cookies on his doorstep. He picked them up with little hesitation and entered his home, dropping them on his kitchen counter before finding a pen and paper to write a note to finally end this whole thing. Just as he was about to start writing a very passive aggressive request for whoever it was to stop leaving baked goods by his front door, Gold’s words from earlier came to mind.

_Not everything is out to get ya. You gotta learn to live a little._

He glanced over at the cookies and thought of how happy Feraligatr had been over the last few days get eat the treats. He had to admit, it was sort of…exciting? It was nice returning home with a pleasant apprehension. He had almost been eager to see if the cookies were there today.

_The past is in the past. ___

__Heh, for once that idiot was right._ _

__He left the paper and pen where it was._ _

__\-----_ _

__Cookies continued to be placed on his doorstep. Silver thought that maybe after a week or two, whoever it was would get bored and stop, but it carried on for weeks. Before the red head had realised it, it had been almost two months since the cookies started appearing._ _

__Despite his initial uncertainty and scepticism, Silver had to admit the small, everyday gesture had become a part of his life. He’d never say so to Gold or Kris (he’d might to Lyra), but seeing them on his doorstep every day after he came home from work or a day out made him somewhat happy. It was as if someone was saying, “Welcome back! How was your day?” It sounded stupid, and he couldn’t believe he was thinking something so Goddamn mushy, but it was what he felt._ _

__It also helped that the cookies were gradually baked better as the weeks went on. They were no longer too sweet or salty, or lopsided or even burnt around the edges. They still kept their oddly small size, but they had been perfected over time. Silver had to wonder how much this person had spent on ingredients for these cookies._ _

__At one point he had considered trying to find out who it was. He couldn’t deny that he was curious about the guy or girl responsible, but whenever he thought about meeting or seeing them, it made him uneasy. He wasn’t sure he was ready to find out who was taking the time out of their lives to leave the kind gestures._ _

__It turned out he didn’t have much of a choice._ _

__Silver had returned home from work early one day with an egg in tow. Working at a Pokémon Daycare could be unpredictable at times, and sometimes he would have to leave early with a young pokémon or an egg that was about to hatch to care for them. A Daycare could be a pretty intense environment for a young or newly hatched pokémon._ _

__So as he held onto the egg in its protective container and made sure to be careful where he walked, he didn’t expect to see Gold crouched by his doorstep. With a frown, Silver stepped to the side a little to get a better look at what he was doing. His jaw dropped as he watched the ebony head carefully placed a bag of homemade cookies by his door before standing and turning around. He froze, looking just as bewildered as Silver felt._ _

__Silver’s eyes flickered from Gold to the cookies and then back again. “It’s…it’s been _you_ this entire time?” he demanded to know._ _

__“I…yeah, maybe?” He honestly looked like a kid who had been caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar. Silver found the expression rather fitting._ _

__He didn’t know how to feel at first. He watched as Gold anxiously shifted from foot to foot and began to feel a hot trickle of anger run through him._ _

__“ _Why_?” he growled. It was like a domino effect. The anger only grew as he used a threatening tone he hadn’t used against Gold in years. He knew he was probably overreacting, but what the hell was this idiot playing at? What did he have to prove by doing this? God, even looking at Gold’s apprehensive, almost _fearful_ expression was pissing him off even more. “Didn’t you hear me? Just what the hell were you trying to do?!”_ _

__“Silver, c’mon, this is nothing to get angry about,” Gold tried to reason with him._ _

__It had the opposite effect. “Oh, ‘nothing to get angry about’, huh? You’ve been playing with me for _months_! You _lied_ to me when I asked you about this almost two months ago! You made me feel like an idiot for worrying about something that you called ‘innocent’! How do you expect me to not get angry?”_ _

__“Sh-shit, _shit_ , I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t…I never meant…” Silver paused. He had never seen Gold as shaken as he did right then. The idiot had butted heads with him all throughout their journey; he had taken Silver’s scathing remarks and insults with laughter and retorts, but not once did he express the look of distress or hurt as he was there. Silver tried to keep his anger alight and burning, but seeing how serious and upset Gold was smothered it._ _

__He took a deep breath. He couldn’t get angry at his friends like that anymore. It wasn’t as if Gold had done anything seriously wrong._ _

__“I’m sorry,” Gold repeated, sounding subdued. “You were just…looking so down recently. I wanted to cheer you up and take your mind off things.”_ _

__“So you left cookies outside my house?”_ _

__“Heh, I got the idea from Lyra, actually.” That was surprising. It looked like Silver had to watch out for her after all. “I wasn’t supposed to do it this long. I was only gonna do it for a week and then stop.”_ _

__“So why didn’t you?” Silver asked. The question wasn’t accusative, just curious._ _

__“A number of reasons, to be honest,” Gold admitted, refusing to meet Silver’s eyes. “The main being they actually cheered you up, which was…nice. You’ve been more relaxed and sociable these last two months. Kris and Lyra have both notice it. Second being I kinda enjoy baking now and I didn’t want to stop? So, y’know, this gave me an excuse to keep on doing it. Third reason is just to say ‘thanks’.”_ _

__Silver didn’t know how to respond to that. Despite being an idiot, Gold could do something he found extremely difficult to do. Gold could be open and honest with his emotions and say things that would usually sound weird out of another person’s mouth, yet would sound completely normal out of his. It was a skill Silver had always been envious of._ _

__“You really _are_ hopeless…” he mumbled after a few minutes. Gold dared to look up, and Silver _hated_ how nervous and uneasy he looked. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m not angry anymore.”_ _

__“First time for everything,” Gold joked half-heartedly._ _

__“I shouldn’t have lost it like that.”_ _

__“Maybe, but I get it.”_ _

__The scariest thing was he knew Gold was telling the truth. Gold _did_ understand what Silver went through in the past between his father and Team Rocket._ _

__And to think this tense scenario stemmed from one bag of cookies being placed on his doorstep._ _

__“I should go,” Gold said glumly. “I won’t leave cookies here anymore. I should have told you the day you asked that it was me. I’ll see you around, m’kay?” He gave the red head a shaky grin before walking down his path and was about to walk past._ _

__But Silver’s hand latched onto his arm, surprising both of them. Silver flushed a little, but he had to say _something_. “You know…your baking isn’t that bad anymore.” Gold raised an eyebrow. “It’d be a shame to let that new skill go to waste…so I wouldn’t mind the cookies.”_ _

__Gold blinked at him dumbly before grinning like a Cheshire cat. “Silver, are you being honest with your feelings?”_ _

__He immediately regretted his decision and let go of Gold’s arm. “No. I’m not. In fact, I lied. You can take your cookies and shove them up your--”_ _

__“Aw Silvy, you’re so cute when you’re embarrassed!”_ _

__“I am not! And _stop_ calling me that!”_ _

__“But it suits you so much! C’mon, at least let _me_ call you ‘Silvy’.”_ _

__“You’re incredibly annoying and I have an egg to take care of,” Silver complained as he walked past Gold, picked up the damn cookies, and unlocked his front door._ _

__The former Champion seized his chance. “Wait, so does that mean you’re free right now? Because taking care of an egg doesn’t take _that_ much work…”_ _

__“No.”_ _

__“Please?”_ _

__“You are not coming in my house.”_ _

__“But you promised we’d hang out a couple of months ago!”_ _

__“Stop whining. I promised nothing of the sort.”_ _

__Gold grinned. “I’m still coming in.”_ _

__“Get the hell out of my house!”_ _

__\-----_ _

__“Lyra.”_ _

__Said brunette screamed, almost dropping the bouquet of flowers she was working on. She turned to face the person who had snuck up on her with a glare before smiling. “Oh, it’s you Silver. Kris and Gold said you have a habit of sneaking up on people. How are you?”_ _

__“I’m fine,” he replied as he bent over and picked up a rose the florist had dropped. “I’m just here to give you some advice.”_ _

__“What’s that?” she asked innocently as she accepted the rose._ _

__“Don’t give Gold ridiculous ideas, because he has a tendency of actually doing them.”_ _

__Lyra gave him a convincingly pure smile. “I have no idea what you’re talking about._ _

__Silver felt his eye twitch. It looked like Lyra wasn’t as innocent as everyone thought._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Comments, structured criticism and prompt ideas are highly welcome!**
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> **Thanks for reading!**


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